Open Up Your Eyes
by TeresaJane
Summary: For Lisbon, death always gets in the way. Jello. Written for the Jello Forever August Challenge. Sorry for my crappy summary.


**A/N: Hello! *waves* I was trying to catch up on my sleep and make up for the umpteen million hours of rest I've lost this summer, when this little bunny decided to disturb me. I want to kill it as soon as possible. (That's what you get, you pest!) And I was in a somber mood anyway because of my five spacers. I've named them all, but I don't know how old my readers are, so I think those will remain secrets. Grrr. Anyway, here you go. Lyrics are from **_**Open Up Your Eyes**_** by Daughtry.**

**Disclaimer: Again, I question the need for this. If I owned it, would I be writing this in my brother's bedroom right now? No, I think I'd be in some kind of lavish studio, right? Exactly. I don't own the song, either, though that would be awesome.**

**Warnings: OOC, language, character deaths**

* * *

**Open Up Your Eyes**

**Past**

A sleek, black Mustang slowed to a halt on the little cemetery road, unnoticed by the attendees of the funeral. The driver watched as a sobbing, dark-haired woman – the widow, most likely – stepped forward to place a single red rose on her deceased beloved's chest. She didn't even look to be in her fifties, and already she'd had her husband stolen away from her by Death.

A bit of curly blonde hair poked up from the top of the casket. The widow stroked it gently and placed a kiss on her husband's cheek. Her whispered "I love you" was drowned out by the falling rain. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying not to let any tears fall on his body. After a moment, she turned and let herself be led away by her friends, a pretty red-haired woman and two men, one tall and lean, the other a muscular Asian-American.

The priest said a few words, then nodded, giving the burial crew permission to do its job. The pattering of the rain on the asphalt of the road turned to a loud drumming. The leaves on the trees bent with the weight of the water. The world was crying for the widow's lost husband.

Unable to watch any longer, Lisbon pulled her Mustang away from the grim scene. She continued up the winding road to a place long forgotten to everyone else. Parking the car, she took an umbrella from the backseat, opening it as she stepped out into the rain. She bent in front of the faded headstone that read "LISBON" and placed two flowers there – a carnation for her father and a lily for her mother.

"Hi, Mommy," she whispered. "Hi, Daddy. I miss you." She began recounting her week: the case they had just solved; her tried and failed apple pie that had decided to explode while baking; and Jane's antics at work and at home. As she spoke, the rain stopped, so she closed her umbrella. "He told me he loved me last night, Mom. For the first time. I told him I loved him, too. Next time I come, I'll bring him along. Then you can approve of him, Daddy." She gently ran her finger across their names. Jonathon A. Adeline H. Lisbon could hardly see their names anymore. She knew she should have them redone, or at least cleaned, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. A few tears managed to escape and fall from her eyes.

Suddenly her cell phone rang. She wanted to ignore it, but it was probably important. She answered it with her curt, "Lisbon."

"Don't cry, Teresa. I can't stand it when you cry."

Lisbon turned and saw Jane standing behind her. He shut his phone and knelt beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You're wasting the battery," he said, smiling.

Lisbon closed her phone and leaned into him. "Mom and Dad, this is Patrick Jane. Patrick, Jonathon and Adeline Lisbon, my parents."

"Hello," Jane said.

"Well, Daddy," Lisbon said, "do you approve?" Nothing happened. "I'll take that as a yes."

"What about your mother?" Jane asked.

"I know she loves you."

"In that case…" Jane stood up, knowing Lisbon would stand, too. Then he quickly knelt down on one knee, not caring if the wet ground would ruin his clothes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He opened it, revealing a dazzling diamond ring. "Will you marry me, Teresa?"

The tears came back. "Patrick…"

"If this is too soon—"

"Of course I will." She knelt in front of him and kissed him. Then she turned back to the headstone and said, "Mom, Dad, meet Patrick—" she kissed him again, "—my fiancé."

As they stood to leave, Jane slipped the ring on her finger. It made her feel safe. It let her know that he would be with her forever…

…until death got in the way.

**Present**

She never thought she'd be widowed at the age of 44. As the sky opened up and let loose with torrents of rain, she tossed a rose into his grave. "I love you, Patrick," she murmured as tears coursed down her cheeks. Van Pelt took her hand, while Cho held the other and Rigsby put his on her shoulder. Finally, Lisbon couldn't take it. She wailed for her lost husband, turning her face up to the dark sky, letting all of the anger and pain be free. She'd thought they'd be together forever.

_A single rose left to remember_

_As a single tear falls from her eye_

Oh, how wrong she'd been; her judgment clouded by her feelings for him. She'd forgotten about Red John, about Jane's obsession with revenge. Now one was dead, while the other roamed free. He had promised her he would give it up, since he had her. And she had believed him, like the fool she was.

She had loved him, and he had loved her, just not enough to keep his promise.

_But as they laid him in the ground_

_Her heart would sing without a sound_

That was the past now. All of it; every tender look, every heated kiss, every soft caress. She had to move on, keep living her life. She had time, time that wouldn't be – couldn't be – wasted with worrying about him.

_For the first time you can open your eyes_

_And see the world without your sorrow_

_Where no one knows the pain you left behind_

_And all the peace you could never find_

_Is waiting there to hold and keep you_

_Welcome to the first day of your life_

_Just open up your eyes_

As she fell asleep that night, Lisbon was comforted by the fact that she wasn't alone. She had her friends at CBI, the few friends she kept in touch with from school, and her unborn baby boy.

**Near Future**

Unfortunately, she wouldn't wake up the next morning.

I had managed to kill that ignorant worm, but not before the pretty agent became the future mother of his child. Part of him was still alive, inside her. The only way to kill that part of him would be to take her down, too.

Oh, well. It's not as if I was busy or anything. It would be a shame. She really was something to look at.

But her blood on my hands, on her wall, would be the most beautiful thing besides the insolent coward's own. My greatest achievement. It was fun while it lasted.

As they say, all good things come to an end.

_Just beyond the door he'll find her_

_Taking her hand he softly says_

_Just open up your eyes as I lay you down tonight_

_Safe on the other side_

_No more tears to cry_

* * *

**A/N: O_o. Wow. That got waaay outta hand! I don't even know how RJ got in there! I read back through it and I'm like, WTF? Did **_**I**_** write that? …Wow. Go ahead and tell me what you think, while I figure out what the heck I ate to make me write this…**

_**Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look that becomes a habit.**_


End file.
